diff --git a/packages/core/src/modules/routing/RecipientModule.ts b/packages/core/src/modules/routing/RecipientModule.ts
index 6c60994e7c..5849556b1c 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/modules/routing/RecipientModule.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/modules/routing/RecipientModule.ts
@@ -162,17 +162,20 @@ export class RecipientModule {
           `Websocket connection to mediator with connectionId '${mediator.connectionId}' is closed, attempting to reconnect...`
         )
         try {
-          await this.openMediationWebSocket(mediator)
           if (mediator.pickupStrategy === MediatorPickupStrategy.PickUpV2) {
             // Start Pickup v2 protocol to receive messages received while websocket offline
             await this.sendStatusRequest({ mediatorId: mediator.id })
+          } else {
+            await this.openMediationWebSocket(mediator)
           }
         } catch (error) {
           this.logger.warn('Unable to re-open websocket connection to mediator', { error })
         }
       })
     try {
-      await this.openMediationWebSocket(mediator)
+      if (mediator.pickupStrategy === MediatorPickupStrategy.Implicit) {
+        await this.openMediationWebSocket(mediator)
+      }
     } catch (error) {
       this.logger.warn('Unable to open websocket connection to mediator', { error })
     }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/modules/routing/services/MediationRecipientService.ts b/packages/core/src/modules/routing/services/MediationRecipientService.ts
index f746d69f61..3260979940 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/modules/routing/services/MediationRecipientService.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/modules/routing/services/MediationRecipientService.ts
@@ -261,8 +261,26 @@ export class MediationRecipientService {
     mediationRecord.assertRole(MediationRole.Recipient)
 
     //No messages to be sent
-    if (messageCount === 0) return null
+    if (messageCount === 0) {
+      const { message, connectionRecord } = await this.connectionService.createTrustPing(connection, {
+        responseRequested: false,
+      })
+      const websocketSchemes = ['ws', 'wss']
+
+      await this.messageSender.sendMessage(createOutboundMessage(connectionRecord, message), {
+        transportPriority: {
+          schemes: websocketSchemes,
+          restrictive: true,
+          // TODO: add keepAlive: true to enforce through the public api
+          // we need to keep the socket alive. It already works this way, but would
+          // be good to make more explicit from the public facing API.
+          // This would also make it easier to change the internal API later on.
+          // keepAlive: true,
+        },
+      })
 
+      return null
+    }
     const { maximumMessagePickup } = this.config
     const limit = messageCount < maximumMessagePickup ? messageCount : maximumMessagePickup